Landlord registration starts 15 December 2026: what to do first

What has happened

GOV.UK has published guidance for landlords on the new Register your rental property service. According to GOV.UK, the Renters' Rights Act requires private landlords to register themselves and their privately let properties in England on the service.

Registration is being rolled out by region, and it begins from 15 December 2026. The guidance says each region has a 3-month registration period during the roll out, and you must register your occupied properties in each region by that region's end date.

You register using GOV.UK One Login, and you have the option of verifying your identity. If you do not have digital access, the guidance says you can register through a paper-based application.

Who has to register

If you rent out a property in England that is currently occupied by tenants on an assured or regulated tenancy, you must register. The guidance says this includes organisations that act as private landlords. Tenancies that fall within supported exempt accommodation, as defined in Section 12 of the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023, do not need to be registered.

Joint landlords are covered too. If you rent a property with one or more other landlords, each landlord must register. One of you registers the property and invites the others to the property registration. If you own part of a rental property and are entitled to possession of it, you must register as a joint landlord, even if you are not named on the tenancy agreement.

What it means for a self-managing landlord

Start by working out which region each of your properties sits in. GOV.UK says to use the property's postcode to check the relevant council, and it links to a list of regions of England and their local councils.

You do not have to wait for your region to open. The guidance says you can register your rental properties before their region's start date. If you have properties in several regions, you can register them at the same time, as long as none is registered after its region's end date.

It is also worth gathering your details now. When you register, you will have to provide details about yourself and contact information. If you hold property with others, agree in advance who will start the property registration and who will be invited.

Where ServeProof fits

ServeProof is not a law firm. It prepares the documents the law says a tenant must have, sends them, and keeps a dated record of exactly what went to whom. That record is useful whenever you need to show what a tenant received and when.

If you are tidying your files before 15 December, it is worth knowing what you hold and keeping a dated record of what each tenant was given.